Zip It! How to Make a Lined Pillow Cover

Recently I sewed a St. Gregory’s Cross and Hourglass classic and vintage quilt block and turned it into a lined pillow cover. Chambray and denim, along with Fig Tree and Co.’s Pumpkin and Blossoms fabric, create a farmhouse-friendly look for our couch with just a hint of orange.

The opposite side of the pillow is the Pumpkin Sky pattern by Carried Away Quilting. This side of the pillow has all the autumn vibes!

The two different sides of the pillow are joined together with a By Annie zipper.

I added a cute orange zipper pull too! Here are a few photos to show the details. Isn’t that Pumpkins and Blossoms text fabric cute?

How to Sew a Lined Pillow Cover

As I assembled the pillow cover, it occurred to me to follow the same process I used to make the super-popular Mini Scrap Patch Bag. I simply enlarged the lining to match the 18.5-inch pillow squares, assembled the “bag,” and inserted an IKEA FJÄDRAR inner cushion. (The 20-inch insert easily fits inside an 18-inch pillow cover, creating a luxuriously plump pillow.)

Pirouette Pillow Kit from Joanna Figueroa

This summer I purchased the Scrapbook of Quilts book by Carrie Nelson and Joanna Figueroa. I also followed their #pillowalong on Instagram and won Joanna’s extra half-square triangles, fabric, and zipper to make a pirouette pillow! Since I was on a roll, I finally stitched up this pillow kit and used the same lining and zipper technique (no quilting for a speedier finish).

Maple Leaves and Pirouette Pillows with fabric by Joanna Figueroa

St. Gregory’s Cross and Hour Glass Classic and Vintage Block

If you like my farmhouse pillow, check out the Fat Quarter Shop’s new pattern and beautiful kit for St. Gregory’s Cross and Hour Glass. I like my denim farmhouse version and I love this kit!

When I constructed my St. Gregory’s block, I used the mini simple folded corners rule for the square-in-the-square sections. For the hourglass center, I used the Creative Grids 6″ Flying Geese and 45/90 Degree Triangle Ruler. The odd-looking ruler is pretty slick, and I expect to use it a lot in the future. The ruler contains all the measurements to cut block units from strips of fabric. And I appreciate any ruler that eliminates the need for me to do the cutting math! Plus, the pieces are easy to sew accurately because of this cutting method.

Make half-square triangles, flying geese, and hourglass blocks with this one ruler.

I hope you try making a lined pillow cover with this cute zipper method! Of course, you can quilt the pillow squares and then assemble them with the lining. It’ll give the pillow a beautiful texture. Mostly, I like to provide options for a fast finish, especially if you’re ready to shift into holiday mode as Thanksgiving approaches.

Joyfully,

Tracie